Friday, December 16, 2016

Transfiguration of Creation

The Orthodox understand that God lives within the Uncreated world, whilst Creation in the Created one. Has God interfered with Creation? This relationship, this dialogue status has existed since the beginning of Creation. Additionally, Christ’s coming to the world brought a new transfiguration, a new understanding of our lives, our objectives and our relationship with God. This is expressed and realised within the Church. Christos Yannaras, in his book The Freedom of Morality, explains:

‘The Church experiences the transfiguration of creation and of man in liturgical space and time. This is why the true meaning of the Church was revealed in Christ’s transfiguration on Mount Tabor. In the experience on Tabor we have the prefiguration of liturgical space and time, the restoration of nature to its true character as relationship. Space is defined by the immediacy of the relationship, by the inseparable nearness to Christ and communion with Him, and by participation in the truth and glory of God. Correspondingly, the space in which the Eucharistic synaxis takes place is the inseparable gathering of the faithful into the oneness of the life of the world, which becomes the place for the personal union of created and uncreatred – the body and blood of Christ. And in liturgical time, past and future are contracted into the present moment of participation in God’s glory: a present, once again, of personal presence. Moses and Elijah on Tabor, the gathering of the “commemoration of saints” at the eucharist, mark the past. The glorified Jesus, the clothing of humanity in divine glory, marks the eschatological future. The liturgical time of the Church is that present moment which contains and sums up past and future in the immediacy of presence.’ (pp.89-90).

About Me

I have studied Theology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Theology, International Relations at the University of London (Queen Mary). My Master's Thesis was published as a book: 'The Aegean Sea Dispute Between Greece and Turkey - The Consequences for NATO and the EU'. For more information see: http://www.akakia.net/el/the-aegean-sea-dispute-between-greece-and-turkey
I have also studied Byzantine Music in Athens and I am currently undertaking a research on the “Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius and its contribution towards Anglican – Orthodox Relations”, at the University of Winchester.
I also represent the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain at the A.E.C.A. If you wish to contact me you can email me: demetrifs1@yahoo.com